The event was fully booked, with over 450 registrations and waitlist, well over a month ahead of time. The attendees were not disappointed as they witnessed an extraordinary event full of passion and emotion from speakers, exhibitors and audience alike. Speakers included Benita Matofska, changemaker for climate and sustainability, Lewis Crathern, pro-kitesurfer from Sussex, and Dave Erasmus, who uses sound recordings and machine learning to monitor ocean biodiversity.

The line-up also included father and daughter team Catrine Priestley and Eric Smith, divers from the Sussex Underwater organisation, who tearfully described the decline of the marine habitat since 1959. They then delivered a message of hope by showing the audience video and images of the sea life that is returning to Sussex Bay since the introduction of the pioneering Nearshore Trawling Byelaw in 2021 covering more than 300 square kilometres.

Also speaking was Paul Brewer, Director for Sustainability & Resources at Adur & Worthing Councils, who said, ‘Sussex Bay is the Blue Mirror to the South Downs. We want to accentuate the fact that Sussex is blue as well as green. We want to see dolphin superpods all the time, we want to see bluefin tuna skipping out of the water, we want Sussex Bay lobster to be being caught and sold by small boat fishing communities, and we want our wetlands and our salt marshes to become renowned ornithological hotspots. It’s going to take a while, a lot of effort and a lot of people, but this is a really hopeful start for something very different. If we listen very hard, the future generations are asking us to do this.’

Following his appearance at TEDx Brighton in April, Dean de Aragón-Spears, Head of Blue Natural Capital for Sussex Bay, highlighted the ways that members of the public can get involved – ‘Do some citizen science – if you see a flock of dunlin birds, some kelp or dolphin, take a photo and report that, or join the research over the year ahead. You can also follow us on Linked In and sign up to the Sussex Bay newsletter to keep up to date with plans and developments, and whatever your area of interest or expertise, you can give what you can in terms of time, pro bono offerings or support to our crowdfunder. You, we, are Sussex Bay, and you are all welcome.’

The 16 exhibitors encompassed Sussex-based sustainable businesses Bird and Blend and Real Patisserie, alongside several nature recovery projects in the Sussex Bay area such as the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project, Weald to Waves and the Ouse and Adur Rivers Trust, providing information about their pioneering work and opportunities for attendees to get involved. Among them was also the Sussex Dolphin Project who are now reporting sightings of dolphins off the coast of Sussex nearly every day.

Formed over the past two years from radical collaboration with over 200 groups, organisations, and partners – including local authorities, charities and diverse communities of residents and businesses – Sussex Bay aims to create and deliver a pioneering seascape-scale strategy for the entire coastline.

Sussex Bay was seed funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and was the second ever recipient of Rewilding Britain’s Rewilding Challenge Fund. It is now on a mission to generate a £50 million fund for nature by 2050. At the launch event, an essential Crowdfunding campaign was announced which aims to reach the first million pounds this year. Anyone can contribute to the Crowdfunder, individual, business or grant maker at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/restoring-sussex-bay-together.